"On my part, I remain committed to the process of dialogue. It is my firm belief that dialogue and a willingness to look with honesty and clarity at the reality of Tibet can lead us to a viable solution."

China welcomes UK Tibet decision -- Zhu Weiqun speaks on Tibet

A senior Chinese official has welcomed the UK's decision to recognise
Beijing's direct rule over Tibet.

Zhu Weiqun, who is leading talks with Tibetan exiles, told the BBC
the move had bought the UK "in line with the universal position in
today's world".

But Mr Zhu would not say whether it might be linked with Prime
Minister Gordon Brown's efforts to bring China into a new world economic order.

Beijing says Tibet has been part of the Chinese nation since the 13th Century.

Many Tibetans disagree, pointing out that the Himalayan region was an
independent kingdom for many centuries, and that Chinese rule over
Tibet has not been constant.

After a brief military conflict between China and Tibet in the early
part of the 20th Century, Tibet declared itself an independent
republic in 1912.

China sent troops to Tibet in 1950 and summoned a Tibetan delegation
the following year to sign a treaty ceding sovereignty.

'Criminal acts'

Since then there have been periods of unrest and sporadic uprisings
as resentment to Beijing's rule has persisted, most recently in
March, when there were riots and demonstrations both in Tibet and
surrounding provinces.

The Chinese government says rioters killed at least 19 people, but
Tibetan exiles say security forces killed dozens of protesters and
were guilty of repression.

"Innocent civilians were hacked or burnt to death last March. In one
shop, five girls, one of them an ethnic Tibetan, were set on fire and
killed. Criminal acts like these have been dealt with according to
law. Do you call this repression?"

On Monday, talks between Chinese officials and Tibetan exiles on the
future of the Himalayan region ended after they failed to make any progress.

Mr Zhu is a vice-minister of the United Front Work Department, which
conducts negotiations with Tibetan representatives.

He blamed this week's deadlock on the Tibetan representatives, whom
Mr Zhu believes still want independence.

The Tibetans have yet to comment officially, but the Dalai Lama, the
head of exiled Central Tibetan Administration, has previously said he
does not want independence for his homeland, only meaningful autonomy.

'Anachronism'

Despite the stalled discussions, Mr Zhu made it clear that China
wanted them to continue.

"China has done everything it can to talk to the Dalai Lama," he
said. "The door is still open."

The exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, leaves hospital
in Delhi on 16 October

In a little publicised parliamentary statement on 29 October, UK
Foreign Secretary David Miliband gave his strong backing to the talks
and also backed the Dalai Lama's call for autonomy as a basis for agreement.

Mr Miliband also referred to a historic agreement dating back to the
early 20th Century, which acknowledged China's "special position" in
Tibet, but asserted that Tibet had never been fully part of the country.

Describing the policy as an "anachronism", he asserted: "Like every
other EU member state, and the United States, we regard Tibet as part
of the People's Republic of China."

Mr Zhu said his government appreciated the British statement.

"I think this is a recognition of an already existing objective
fact," he said. "It has also bought the UK in line with the universal
position in today's world."

BBC World Affairs editor John Simpson says Mr Zhu diplomatically
sidestepped the question whether the British decision might be linked
with Mr Brown's efforts to bring China into a new world economic
order; though that is certainly what many observers think.

They also think the Dalai Lama's position has been weakened by the
UK's decision, our correspondent says.